October 15, 2011

It's been a long while since I had a giveaway, too long. I just received the my actual book, bound and everything!!!, this week and have been over the moon. I wanted to celebrate with a giveaway of 24 fat quarters of my new fabric collection Sugar Hill and a signed copy of my book, Sew What You Love (which is, btw, available for pre-order). Both may take a while to get to you though since neither have yet been officially released. I think sometime in December the winner will be receiving them. Just leave a comment for a chance to win and celebrate with me!!!

October 14, 2011

I see a huge amount of traffic coming to this post from tumbler and I couldn't resist letting people know that in the next post I have a giveaway of my new fabric collection and new book going on right now. I'd love you to enter!! Just leave a comment in the next post for a chance to win. Thanks for stopping by!!

OK, here's the original skirt tutorial post:

Here's the tutorial I mentioned in the last post. This is another great and simple way to make a classic pleated skirt, this time a wrap. It's really just like making a very wide pleated apron. These are great for kids because the wrap detail means it will fit for a while. This tutorial shows how to make it to any size. Here goes:

Supplies

tape measure or long string and rulerpencilironpinsuse 1/4 inch seam allowancesfabric amounts depend on measurements of the wearer

1. Figure the skirt width. Measure the wearers waist using a tape measure or long string and a ruler. Multiply that number by 2.66, round to the nearest half inch, and then add 8 (for a 6 inch overlap and 2 inch seam allowance). Add 8" to the waist measurement and then multiply by 2.66.

example: waist = 28" 28 x 2.66 = 74.48 74.5 + 8 = 82.5

28 + 8 = 36 36 x 2.66 = 95.76

2. Figure the length of the waistband/ties by adding 21 inches to the final skirt width by 2.5" wide. If you need to, It's fine to piece two fabrics together along the short side to achieve the correct length though I wouldn't piece more then two fabrics because you'll get too many noticeable seams.

3. Figure the skirt length. Measure from waist to where you want the skirt to fall. Add 1.25" for hem and seam allowance.

4. Cut your fabric according to these measurements.

5. Make the pleats. First hem the short edges of the skirt. Fold the raw edges to the wrong side by 1/2", press, repeat and topstitch. Along the top raw edge of your fabric use a pencil to make marks 1.5" apart. Use an iron to press pleats in alternating directions at every 1.5" mark and pin in place.

6. Attach the skirt band/tie. With right sides facing place the band/tie, off center so that it will be about 8" longer on one side then the other, on top of the top (pleated) edge of the skirt aligning raw edges. Pin and sew the band/tie to the skirt. Press the raw edge of the band/tie to the wrong side by 1/4" down the entire length. Press the raw edges of the short sides of the ties to the wrong side by 1/2". Fold the band over so that the 1/4" pressed fold covers the raw edges of the seam on the wrong side of the skirt and pin. You are essentially using the band as you would seam binding. Starting in the middle of the skirt, topstitch very close to the folded edge of the the band on the wrong side of the skirt to the end of one tie. Repeat. Press the raw edge of the bottom of the skirt to the wrong side by 1/2". Repeat. Pin and sew to hem. Press the entire skirt to emphasize pleats and get a crisp edge on the top edge of the band.

October 09, 2011

There seems to be a theme emerging these last few posts. I've got pleats on the brain obvously. I love the design of this skirt because it's classic, versatile, super easy to make, can be made to any size and because it's a wrap skirt it will fit a little girl for a couple of years. I'll have a tutorial up soon for this and in addition to the clutch with the pleating detail, I have yet one more tutorial in my mind for a pleated skirt made from outgrown kids leggings. I think I'll give pleats a rest at that point, for a while anyway.

I recently made two wonderful discoveries when the lovely Natalie Osborn, an editor from Crafts Beautiful Magazine, www.crafts-beautiful.com contacted me to let me know she had used my fabric for a lampshade workshop at the beautiful crafting venue Homemade London and had featured the experience in an article for the magazine. I'm a fan of anything that encourages others to explore and express their creativity in new ways and Crafts Beautiful really does that with lots of ideas and inspiration for papercraft, sewing, and jewelry crafting to name a few. I'll be working with Crafts Beautiful on a couple of exciting things in the next few months which I'm thrilled about and as for Homemade London I love the idea of this place. A beautiful environment to learn and craft lots of different kinds of things in one space. I wonder if this is a trend?? I haven't seen anything like it up till now and I'm just loving the idea.

I'll have another tutorial up for a cute little clutch soon. I'm packed with creative energy lately. I'd felt a bit sapped of it for a few months after the book was finished. Suddenly though so many projects are coming to mind that I want to share...

October 03, 2011

This is a super easy way to make a very full, twirly pleated skirt without a zipper and without having to sew the pleats along their length. It's made up of a top band sewn to a pleated skirt. It can be made to any size. I used cotton quilt weight fabric but chorduroy or wool would be great too.

Sorry for the not great pictures and rough diagrams but I'm trying not to be such a perfectionist about such things as it holds me back from posting projects when I try to make everything look perfect...

If you're looking for a ruffled skirt tutorial, take a look at this one I did a few years back.

Tape measure or long string and ruler or yardstickPencil3/4" wide elasticIronPinsSafety pinFabric amounts depend on measurements in step 1

Use .25" seam allowances

1.Figure the width and length of the front and back pleated portion of the skirt. Measure child around her hips at the widest part. If you don't have a tape measure use a long string and a yardstick to get this measurement. Divide this number by two and then multiply by 2.66. To this number add .5" (for the seam allowance). Round this number to the nearest whole number. This is the final width (un-pleated) of the front and back panels of the pleated portion of the skirt.

Example: Hips=30". 30/2 = 15(2.66) = 39.9 + .5 = 40.4. Round to 40".

***Note: this skirt is easy to make smaller if the final size is too big but it can't be made bigger. It wouldn't hurt to add one more inch per panel in addition to the seam allowance and then take it by sewing the side seams if it's too big.

To figure out the length, measure from the top of your girls hips, but not her waist as the skirt is meant to sit a bit low, to where you want the skirt to fall. I like it to fall about mid thigh to be worn with leggings or tights. It's best to measure her in back so you can take her backside into account. Subtract 2.75" from this measurement.

Cut a rectangle of fabric to the final width and length measurements.

2. On the top raw edge of both the front and back panels make a mark with a pencil every 1.5". Make a pleat every 3" by pulling up at mark A, folding at mark B and pulling A over to meet mark C (see step 2 diagram). Repeat treating the next mark as "A". Press the first couple inches of each pleat with an iron and pin in place. When you get to the end, if there isn't enough fabric left for a full pleat just leave it un pleated. Before proceeding, make sure the front and back panels are the same size after pleating.

3. To make the top band, cut two rectangles of fabric that are as wide as the pleated portion of the skirt and about 6" long.

4. With right sides together sew the band pieces to the top raw edge of the pleated pieces to form the front and back of the skirt (see step 4 diagram) It's easiest to sew this in the direction of the pleats and with the pleats on top. Remove the pins. With right sides together, sew the front of the skirt to the back of the skirt along the sides.

At this point, try the skirt on your girl. It should fit easily over her hips without being huge. Take it in along the side seams if it's too big and trim the seam allowances.

5. Make the casing for the elastic. Fold the top raw edge of the skirt to the wrong side (inside of the skirt) by .5" and press. Fold again by 1", press and sew close to the folded edge. Leave about 1" un sewn near one side seam as this is where the elastic will be inserted.

6. Pin the safety pin to the elastic and work the elastic through the opening in the casing around and back to the opening. Try the skirt on your girl one more time and pull the elastic so that it's slightly smaller then the skirt but still comfortable. Cut elastic to this length plus 1". Overlap the ends of the elastic by .5" and sew together. Sew the opening in the casing closed.

7. Hem the skirt. Fold the bottom raw edge of the skirt to the wrong side (inside) by .5", press, repeat and sew close to the folded over edge.

Hello!!

Hi There!I'm Tanya. I blog here about my life and my work as an author, fabric, product and sewing pattern designer. My fabrics, scrap booking products, paper products and sewing patterns are available globally. My second book for Random House, Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time includes interchangeable patterns to create 219 unique dresses. It will be released June 16th, 2015. Thank you for coming by!